Friday's Cincinnati first round pits Alina Charaeva against Nikola Bartunkova on hard. Nikola Bartunkova has won 6 of the last 10. Alina Charaeva has won 6 of the last 10.

Hold strength tells the story — 67.8% versus 63.5% on first-serve points in Bartunkova's favor. Little separates them; Bartunkova gets the nod on the finest of margins.